Steps from Berea Class, November 3

Hello again dancers.

I apologize for the poor sound quality in this video.  We'll try to get better quality next class.

Remember - no class on Saturday, November 10.  My co-instructor will substitute for me on November 17.  Hope you can make it and I will see you in December.

Feel free to contact me in the meantime.

And, for your calendar:

Friday night, November 30
"Family Fun Ceili Night"
Where: McTeggart Studio in Lexington, 3519 Lansdowne Drive
When: 11/30, 6:30-8:30pm
Cost: $5 per person; $10 family maximum
Wear: Comfortable clothing
Bring: water bottle, small snack if you'd like

Hope to see you there!

Berea Ceili Class Steps 10/27

Below is the text of the steps we learned on Saturday, 10/27, at Berea Center for the Arts.

First Advance and Retire:
Kick R 2 3 Kick L 2 3 - forward
Kick back 2 3 Kick back 2 3 - backward (Right, then left)
REPEAT

First "Ring" to the Right, then Left
RIGHT 2 3 4 5 6 7 Kick back 2 3 kick back 2 3
LEFT 2 3 4 5 6 7 Kick back 2 3 kick back 2 3*

Second Advance and Retire:
Kick L 2 3 Kick R 2 3 - forward
Kick back 2 3 Kick back 2 3 - backward (Left, then right)
REPEAT

Second "Ring" to the Left, then Right
LEFT 2 3 4 5 6 7 Kick back 2 3 kick back 2 3
RIGHT 2 3 4 5 6 7 Kick back 2 3 kick back 2 3*

* Remember there are several ways to do "seven's."  You can commence the seven's with an "UP," a "CUT," or a "JUMP."  All are correct; just different styles.

Video of the footwork we learned:

Set for Job of Journeywork

Lexington's adult Irish dancing class:

Below is the text for the "set" of the Job of Journeywork

(R) Tip down tip down shuffle hop back
(L) Tip down tip down shuffle hop back
(R) Tip down tip down shuffle  1 2 shuffle hop back
(L) stamp (R) "throw" BACK step FRONT step (R) shuffle hop back *
(L) tip down (R) tip down (L) "throw" (L) back
(R) tip down (L) tip down (R) "throw" (R) back
(L) kick ROCK 2 3
(R) kick ROCK 2 3
(L) leap 2 3 (R) leap 2 3 (L) leap 2 3 (R) shuffle hop back
(L) tip down (R) step (R) heel (L) heel
(R) tip down (L) step (L) heel (R) heel
(L) Bang (L) back (R) shuffle hop back
(L) tip down (R) shuffle cut shuffle hop back

* This is the "grapevine" part.  The grapevine starts with the right leg.  After you throw the right leg up/forward, bend at the knee, lifting heel to the seat before you put it down behind you.  When you put it down, that is the "BACK," which begins the grapevine.

Reel and Hornpipe steps

Dear dancers,

Forgive me for not posting these earlier.

Reel lead around:
Hop 1 2 switch 2 3 step tip cut
1 2 3 4 leap cross
kick 1 2 3 kick 2 2 3
skip out skip out step UP and down

Reel step:

Point heels kick kick back 2 3
step step kick 1 2
switch 2 3 4
LEAP cross
skip out skip out step UP and down
tip and heel squeeze


Hornpipe lead around
Treble
Bang back shufflehop back 2 3
leap 2 3 leap 2 3
Shuffle hop back shuffle hop back
Treble
shuffle hop back 2 3
Leap 2 3 shuffle hop back
treble

Hornpipe step
Treble 2 3
tip down shuffle hop back 2 3
leap 2 3 leap 2 3
tip front tip back tip front
tip cut heel step shuffle hop back
tip down tip down kick cut
tip down tip cut
tip down shuffle hop back
down shuffle cut shuffle hop back

Hornpipe/reel "roll" step
HORNPIPE VERSION:
Treble
leap roll back shuffle hop back
Treble
leap roll back shuffle hop back
Treble
leap roll roll roll roll roll shuffle hop back
down shuffle cut shuffle hop back

REEL VERSION:
Stamp down shuffle hop back
step roll down shuffle hop back
Stamp down shuffle hop back
step roll down shuffle hop back
Stamp down TWO SLOW ROLLS, ONE FAST ROLL,
TWO SLOW ROLLS, ONE FAST ROLL
TWO SLOW ROLLS, ONE FAST ROLL shuffle hop back

May 17 steps

 The formatting of this post is strange, but at least the steps are correct.  Please compile and bring with you to class!

Dance steps from Thursday, May 17

New hornpipe lead around:
Tip down tip down sh hop back
Bang back sh hop back 23
Leap 23 leap 23 shFUL hop back sFULh hop back
Tip DOWN tip down shFUL hop back
shFUL hop back 23
leap 23 shFUL hop back
tip down tip down shful hop back






Reel Lead Around
Up 1 2 Leap 1 2
Up 1 2 Leap 1 2
Up 2 3 4 5 6 7 (turning clockwise on Right leg, counter clockwise on left leg)
Leap 2 3 4 5 6 7

First half of new reel step
hop Stretch hop stretch kick 1234
*up* leap cross step *up* leap cross

*in this case, you lift your body "up" in the air....  do not do an "up" with your leg

Light Jig Lead Around
Cross back hop 1 2 3
Cross back hop 1 2 3
Kick out kick out kick 1234
Up hop back kick back 2 3 4

Light Jig step variations
Beginning of the step:
Hop point hop up kick back 2 3 4
Kick out kick out kick out 2 3 4

Variation #1:
hop back hop back hop back 2 3 4
Up hop back hop back 2 3 4

Variation #2:
Up toe step heel step toe step
Up hop back kick back 2 3 4

Variation #3
Same as #2, only "up toe step heel step toe step" is performed turning clockwise on right leg, counterclockwise on left leg

Basic Light Jig Step (Tyler)
Hop point hop up kick back 2 3 4
Hop point hop up kick back 2 3 4
Hop point hop up kick back 2 3 4
Up hop back kick back 2 3 4

April/May session 2012

Dear dancers,

Not only did I return to class on Thursday with hand-outs, but I would like to reinvigorate the life of this blog as well. It has been far too long since I have posted.

First, the material from Thursday's class:

April/May Advanced Adult Session
April 12, 2012

Softshoe Drills/Exercises
1. Calf raises
2. Bouncy ankles
3. Heels, Points, Ups, Kicks + hopping on back leg
4. “Runny babbits”

1. (R) Stretch kick 1 2 UP leap cross (L) Stretch kick 1 2 UP leap cross
2. Hop 1 2 turn 2 3
3. Twists – hop back twist twist, hop back twist twist, hop back twist twist  seven
4. Point heels point heels (slow twice or fast four times), Point heels kick, Point heels kick, (R) point heels (R) kick (L) kick back 2 3, *switch* (L) point heels (L) kick (R) kick back 2 3

Softshoe Steps
Reel Lead Around
(R) Stretch kick 1 2 UP leap cross (L) Stretch kick 1 2 UP leap cross
(R) Point heels kick (L) Point heels kick
(R) Point cut 1 2 3 4 5 (grapevine to the left)

Reel Step
(R) 1 2 turn 2 3
(R) Stretch kick 1 2 UP leap cross
(R) point kick back 2 3 (twists)
(R) point heels (R) kick (L) kick back 2 3
(R) step (L) over 2 3

Hardshoe Drills/Exercises
1. Loose ankles on batters/trebles
2. Rolls
3. Double trebles and single trebles in jig time
4. Back treble-toe’s (“bang rally & toe”; “stamp deedly-dum”)

Next, a blog you should know as adult Irish dancers:

GoneFeising

And a video you should watch because it's incredible: